 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Hi folks,
Frohburg in Germany. It was about a 1500 mile
round trip in the van and 4 ferry trips. It took 2 days
travelling each way but it was worth the effort. I got
to the paddock on Friday morning and the first
person I seen was Gert Meulman, the only race
photographer that wears Arai clogs! He got me a
good spot and I set about unloading the van. Not an
easy task. It was full to the roof with bikes, spare
wheels, tools, leathers and luggage for about 10
people! No point in paying Ryanair to bring them
when I could bring them for free.
The rest of the team (John Walsh, Emlyn Hughes
and co.) were flying in. By the time they arrived on
Friday evening I had everything set up and had my
bike through scrutiny. I got the programme for
practise on Saturday morning. It said we were due
out on track at 8am! So I decided to leave my old
tyres on for the first practise session as the track
would be cold and the times would be faster for the
later session anyway. I had brought a new set of
Dunlop slicks and they would go on for the second
session on Saturday. The rest of the lads arrived in
the hire cars and away we went to the hotel in
Leipzig. It was a good clean hotel and of course
when in the home of beer, it would be rude not to try
some...
Saturday morning arrived and there were a lot of
sleepy heads eating breakfast at 6 in the morning.
We got to the paddock and got the tyre warmers on
the bikes. Me and John were out at 8 for the first
open session. I was flat out down the back straight
on the Suzuki when John came passed on the
Yamaha. I decided to catch up again on the brakes
into the chicane. Next thing John was going
sideways and barely made to through the cones. I
braked later than him. This was just a bit too far,
and I went straight on, almost running into him at the
other end. At the next corner it was the other way
around. He overshot and I made it round. Then John
retired with clutch problems. This was going to be a
tough weekend!!!
We were back out for our second session at half
twelve and the weather was getting hot. I had the
new tyres on and they worked well. I was 4 seconds
faster in the second session, going as fast as last
years race times, so things were going ok. I
qualified in 23rd overall, on the 6th row. On the front
row was a BMW world superbike! The track is hard
on brakes so we checked the pads. They were
nearly down to the metal so a new set went in for
race day. Expensive but badly needed.
Unlike racing in Ireland, we did scrutiny on Friday
evening and that was it. So we got everything ready
for Sunday and closed up the tent. We went back to
the hotel, and went for dinner in Leipzig. We ended
up in a taxi race to the city centre! There were
pedestrians flying in all directions.
With no scrutiny on Sunday morning and our first
race at 1.30pm, we all had a good sleep and got to
the track just in time to watch the 600 race.
We went out for our race with the sun shining and
the temp in the 20's. The start is very well organised
with a sighting lap, then the grid is formed and all the
photos are taken and the interviews done. Then
away for the warmup lap, back to the grid for a few
seconds and away. 40 bikes into the first corner!
pretty mental stuff but great craic. There were a few
people swapping paint and fibre glass. I was in the
middle of a great battle from about 13th to 17th,
with lots of passing going on. The pace was hot and
it was a 12 lap race so I decided to try and pace
myself and not get too tired. The plan worked as a
few of the other rider ahead seemed to fade in the
last few laps and I passed a few of them, including a
kamikazi move at the last corner that actually
worked. So it was good race for me.
The second race was called the Race of
Champions, with a mixture of 600's and 1000's. It
was great fun with loads of overtaking again. Again
it was 12 laps but over all too quick. The track was
in excellent condition. It would put some short
circuits to shame really. The organisation iwas
excellent and the people who run it were all very nice
to us. The crowd seemed to be much bigger than
last year and they all looked to enjoy it. They are
mad into getting their photo's signed and between
me John and Emlyn we spent half the weekend
signing photos of ourselves!! Maybe they sell them
on ebay.
Anyway, thats all for me this season. The budget is
long gone and its back to my cheap and cheerful
GasGas trials bike for the winter. Thanks to all who
helped during the season. Kenny for preparing the
1000, Huw Dot and Benson for all their help at the
TT, Anthony for the lend of his Honda 400 at several
meetings and Mark Shiels for doing pit crew at the
Ulster GP.
And not forgetting Stephen at NDM for getting me
more mileage from my engines than they should
really be doing!!
Frohburg in Germany. It was about a 1500 mile
round trip in the van and 4 ferry trips. It took 2 days
travelling each way but it was worth the effort. I got
to the paddock on Friday morning and the first
person I seen was Gert Meulman, the only race
photographer that wears Arai clogs! He got me a
good spot and I set about unloading the van. Not an
easy task. It was full to the roof with bikes, spare
wheels, tools, leathers and luggage for about 10
people! No point in paying Ryanair to bring them
when I could bring them for free.
The rest of the team (John Walsh, Emlyn Hughes
and co.) were flying in. By the time they arrived on
Friday evening I had everything set up and had my
bike through scrutiny. I got the programme for
practise on Saturday morning. It said we were due
out on track at 8am! So I decided to leave my old
tyres on for the first practise session as the track
would be cold and the times would be faster for the
later session anyway. I had brought a new set of
Dunlop slicks and they would go on for the second
session on Saturday. The rest of the lads arrived in
the hire cars and away we went to the hotel in
Leipzig. It was a good clean hotel and of course
when in the home of beer, it would be rude not to try
some...
Saturday morning arrived and there were a lot of
sleepy heads eating breakfast at 6 in the morning.
We got to the paddock and got the tyre warmers on
the bikes. Me and John were out at 8 for the first
open session. I was flat out down the back straight
on the Suzuki when John came passed on the
Yamaha. I decided to catch up again on the brakes
into the chicane. Next thing John was going
sideways and barely made to through the cones. I
braked later than him. This was just a bit too far,
and I went straight on, almost running into him at the
other end. At the next corner it was the other way
around. He overshot and I made it round. Then John
retired with clutch problems. This was going to be a
tough weekend!!!
We were back out for our second session at half
twelve and the weather was getting hot. I had the
new tyres on and they worked well. I was 4 seconds
faster in the second session, going as fast as last
years race times, so things were going ok. I
qualified in 23rd overall, on the 6th row. On the front
row was a BMW world superbike! The track is hard
on brakes so we checked the pads. They were
nearly down to the metal so a new set went in for
race day. Expensive but badly needed.
Unlike racing in Ireland, we did scrutiny on Friday
evening and that was it. So we got everything ready
for Sunday and closed up the tent. We went back to
the hotel, and went for dinner in Leipzig. We ended
up in a taxi race to the city centre! There were
pedestrians flying in all directions.
With no scrutiny on Sunday morning and our first
race at 1.30pm, we all had a good sleep and got to
the track just in time to watch the 600 race.
We went out for our race with the sun shining and
the temp in the 20's. The start is very well organised
with a sighting lap, then the grid is formed and all the
photos are taken and the interviews done. Then
away for the warmup lap, back to the grid for a few
seconds and away. 40 bikes into the first corner!
pretty mental stuff but great craic. There were a few
people swapping paint and fibre glass. I was in the
middle of a great battle from about 13th to 17th,
with lots of passing going on. The pace was hot and
it was a 12 lap race so I decided to try and pace
myself and not get too tired. The plan worked as a
few of the other rider ahead seemed to fade in the
last few laps and I passed a few of them, including a
kamikazi move at the last corner that actually
worked. So it was good race for me.
The second race was called the Race of
Champions, with a mixture of 600's and 1000's. It
was great fun with loads of overtaking again. Again
it was 12 laps but over all too quick. The track was
in excellent condition. It would put some short
circuits to shame really. The organisation iwas
excellent and the people who run it were all very nice
to us. The crowd seemed to be much bigger than
last year and they all looked to enjoy it. They are
mad into getting their photo's signed and between
me John and Emlyn we spent half the weekend
signing photos of ourselves!! Maybe they sell them
on ebay.
Anyway, thats all for me this season. The budget is
long gone and its back to my cheap and cheerful
GasGas trials bike for the winter. Thanks to all who
helped during the season. Kenny for preparing the
1000, Huw Dot and Benson for all their help at the
TT, Anthony for the lend of his Honda 400 at several
meetings and Mark Shiels for doing pit crew at the
Ulster GP.
And not forgetting Stephen at NDM for getting me
more mileage from my engines than they should
really be doing!!
